1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a splash guard ring for the flanges of connecting pipe members in a pipeline comprising a tightening strap covering the flange ends and the gap between the flanges.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Splash guard rings serve to secure the environment of pipelines carrying toxic or combustible or otherwise dangerous liquids and to protect persons present in their vicinity against injury by the liquid escaping under pressure in the case of a failure of a seal. The function of splash guard rings is to restrain the liquid which, in the case of a gasket failure of this type, will escape in a far reaching stream. The liquid is restrained and will run off within a small area around the location of the fracture. The use of such splash guard rings on lines carrying dangerous liquids is prescribed by law, but the known splash guard rings are incapable of performing their intended role.
One known splash guard ring of the aforementioned type consists of a smooth strip with a thickness of 0.5 to 1.5 mm made of zinc coated steel strip or a strong synthetic plastic material, for example, polypropylene or polyethylene. The strip is fastened by means of a separate fastener element, such as for example, sheet screws, machine screws, pins, rivets, clamping clips or the like directly to the flange joint. In another known form of a splash guard ring, a corrugated strip is provided in place of the smooth band. The same configuration and mode of fastening is employed in this form.
In the case of the smooth strip form of the splash guard ring, the space enclosed between the gasket, the splash guard ring and the flanges is filled immediately with liquid following a failure of the seal, whereupon a flow of liquid is formed in the space due to the outlet pressure and its high kinetic energy. The liquid will exit through an opening between the flange and the splash guard with a corresponding high kinetic energy. The same result of a widespread propagation of the liquid in the case of a failure of the gasket is to be expected when using the splash guard ring consisting of a corrugated strip. In this case, the liquid exiting through the opening encounters a bottom or several bottoms of the corrugation, depending on the location of the break. The liquid is then diverted by 90.degree. and again exits as it builds up in a sharp jet through the free space between the flanges and the corrugated splash guard ring. The object of the prevention of a sharp jet is not attained in any of these cases.
The known splash guard rings are afflicted by a further common disadvantage. Mounting by means of separate fastening elements is cumbersome and time consuming. There is also the well-founded risk that the application of fastening elements, for example screws, is at least in part omitted, if for example, a screw is lost or has become useless because of corrosion and the installer does not have a suitable replacement immediately available.